Padlock device

ABSTRACT

A padlock device constructed with a cavity formed in its casing for storing the padlock key and retainer means for releasably holding the key in the cavity. The lock means for the padlock comprises a threaded member disposed within a recess of the casing and in threaded engagement with the longer shank portion of the padlock&#39;&#39;s shackle.

United States Patent 1191 Bower 1 PADLOCK DEVICE [75] lnventor: Gerald F. Bower, Elkhart, Ind.

[73] Assignee: The Bower Manufacturing Co., Inc.,

Goshen, 1nd.

[221 Filed: Dec. 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 204,985

52 us. 01. 70/39, 24/238, 24/241 R, 70/52, 70/405, 70/456, 206/46 11 511 1111. C1 EOSb 67/38 [58] Field of Search...., 70/31, 38 C, 39, 70/52, 63, 431, 447; 206/15, 46 11, 78 R; 24/238, 241 R [56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,348,234 8/1920 Mock et al 70/39 1 51 Aug. 21, 1973 1,083,483 1/1914 Deibert 70/418 405,842 6/1889 Jeffery 70/447 1,253,564 1/1918 Barber 206/46 H Primary Examiner-'Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-Johnson, Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner [5 7] ABSTRACT A padlock device constructed with a cavity formed in its casing for storing the padlock key and retainer means for releasably holding the key in the cavity. The lock means for the padlock comprises a threaded member disposed within a recess of the casing and in threaded engagement with the longer shank portion of the padlocks shackle.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l PADLOCK DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is apressing need for apadlock thatcan be inexpensively made and-is suitable to lock such items as coin banks, luggage and the like.

In the shipping and storing of padlocks, the keys to the padlocks are frequently lost. This problem is compounded in displaying such items in retailstores forthe keys may be mischievously taken. To prevent this, the keys must be fastened to the padlocks in a very secure manner, which usually entails the use of expensive packaging.

One object of this invention is to provide an inexpensively made padlock.

Another object of this invention is to provide ameans for temporarily securing the keys to the padlock.

A still further object is to design the padlock to be used as a keychain with means to permit the ready removal of one or more keys.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A padlock device comprising a casing having a passageway formed beteen two end surfaces for slidably receiving the longer shank portion of a shackle. A recess is provided in one .end surface of the casing at a distance from the passageway to receive the shorter shank portion of the shackle. A lock means for the pad lock includes a counterbore formed in the outer end surface in alignment with the passageway for receiving a threaded member. The threaded member is in threaded engagement with the outer threaded end of the longer shank portion and when threaded inwardly pulls the shackle into locking engagement with the casmg.

A cavity is formed in the padlock casing for storing the padlock key, and retainer means are provided for releasably holding the key in the cavity.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS For a better understanding of this invpntion reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of this invention locked on a commerical coin bank;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the first embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of a second embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of FIG. 3 showing the holder portion of the keys in section.

FIRST EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown the first embodiment of this invention comprising a casing 10, shackle l2, lock means 14 and lock key 16.

The casing is formed as a one-piece member having a block shape with generally parallel end surfaces 18 and 20. Although the casing can be formed from nurnerous materials, it is preferably a hi-impact plastic that can be inexpensively moulded.

A J-shaped shackle 12 has a long shank portion 22 slidably mounted in passageway 24 that extends between the end surfaces 18, 20. The lower end of short shank portion 26 of shackle 12 is adapted to seat in recess 28 formed in end surface 18 which is spaced from passageway 24 a distance equal to the distance between 2 the long and short shankportions. A pair of shoulders 30 on long shank portion 22 serve as stop means for limiting the inward movement of shackle 12 in passageway 24.

The lock means 14 comprises a threaded member 32 screwed on the outer threshold end 34 of long shank 24 which is disposed within the counterbore 36 formed in alignment with the outer end of passageway 24. To lock the shackle, the short shank portion is positioned in recess 28 and screw member 32 is screwed inwardly of counterbore 36 until its inner end surface 38 abuts against the inner annular shoulder 40 at the inner end of counterbore 36.

A socket in the form of diagonal slot 42 is formed in the outer end of threaded member 32 into which the' and opposing sidewalls 50, 52. To provide this interference fit, sidewall 52 is shaped to taper inwardly from its outer end and one lateral surface 54 of stem portion tapers outwardly intermediate its length so that it engages sidewall 52 upon the bifurcated end 44 teaching the inner end of cavity 46. In this portion only the holder portion 56 projects beyond the bottom surface 20 of casing 10. The holder portion 56 of key 16 is made wide enough so that the lock means 14 can not be effected when the lock key 16 is stored in cavity 46.

The padlock shown in FIG. 2 can be made in a variety of sizes. When used as a padlock for such items as coin banks, it would be in a miniature size as depicted in FIG. 1.

For protection against theft when on display in a retail store, it is suggested that the padlock and key be enclosed in an envelope of heat shrinkable film. This is common practice for retaining keys on padlocks, but further theft prevention is provided by this inventon since only the holder portion 56 is exposed.

The first embodiment has been shown (FIG. 2) and described with only one key. It should be obvious that two or more keys could be stored in cavity 46 by enlarging its width a proportional amount.

SECOND EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is illustrated a sec bodiment primarily in the manner in which the padlock key is retained in the padlock casing. The cavity in the casing 72 for retaining the lock key 16 has a wider portion 74 extending inwardly from lower surface 76 and a narrow portion 78 that extends between the wider portion and upper surface 80. A retainer key 82 is formed from a springy material having a stem portion formed by a long leg portion 84 and short leg portion 86 is adapted to slidingly engage in cavity 70. When fully inserted into the cavity 70, the short leg portion abuts against the shoulder 88 and a lug 90 on the outer end of the long leg portion snaps into a hooked engagement with the upper surface of casing 72.

For the purposes of mating the retainer key 82 and lock key 16 together, opening 92 in key 82 is coined outwardly and opening 94 in key 16 is coined inwardly such that projecting coined edge 96 extends laterally from opening 92 and seats in opening 94. This mating relationship causes the lock key 16' to be in interlocking relation with the retainer key when they both are inserted into cavity 70.

All that is necessary to free the keys is to push lug 90 inwardly of narrow portion 78 and pull the two keys outwardly.

It will be apparent that other uses and modifications can be made to the above two described embodiments. For example, the two embodiments could be used as a key chain for a plurality of keys, where a series of keys would be supported on the shackle and a second set of keys on a key chain threaded through the opening in lock key 16 and 16'. The advantage of such an arrangement is the ready removal of the keys supported by the lock key from the keys on the shackle.

I claim as my invention:

1. A padlock device comprising a casing having a passageway formed between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and having a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, lock means cooperating with said long shank portion for holding said short shank portion in said recess, padlock key for cooperating with said lock means to permit said short shank portion to be removed from said recess, and a cavity formed in said casing for storing said key, said cavity formed with a lengthwise portion having a smaller cross sectional size than a lengthwise portion of said key to provide an interference fit therewith.

2. A padlock device as defined in claim 1, wherein said padlock key comprises a holder portion larger in cross sectional size than the cross section of said cavity and an integral stem portion having its outer end smaller in cross sectional size than said cavity and intermediate section having opposite lateral sides wider than the distance between a portion of two opposing sidewalls of said cavity to provide said interference fit.

3. A padlock device comprising a casing having a passageway formed between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and having a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, lock means cooperating with said long shank portion for holding said short shank portion in said recess, padlock key for cooperating with said lock means to permit said short shank portion to be removed from said recess, a cavity extending through said casing between said end surfaces and retainer means for releasably holding said key in said cavity, said retainer means including a retainer key having a holder portion of greater cross section than said cavity and a stem portion of smaller cross section than said cavity, said stem portion formed of springy material and having a leg portion slightly longer than said cavity with a laterally extending lug at its outer end for latching engagement with said one end of said casing, where said lug is biased inwardly of said cavity when said stern portion is inserted into said cavity at said other end surface and said lug snaps outwardly into engagement with said other end surface when said retainer key is fully inserted, and mating means for holding said retainer key and padlock key in an interlocking relation when said 4 keys are placed in anabutting side-by-side relation and inserted into said cavity.

4. A padlock device as defined in claim 3, wherein said mating means comprises aligned openings in the outer end of said padlock key and said holder portion of said retainer key, one of said openings coined outwardly with respect to their lateral abutting surfaces and the other opening coined inwardly and of slightly larger size than the projecting coined edge for seating said coined projecting edge.

5. A padlock device comprising a block shaped casing having a circular passageway extending between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, a counterbore formed in alignment of said passageway inwardly of the other of said end surfaces, said shackle having threads provided on its outer end, a screw member disposed within said counterbore and in threaded engagement with said threaded outer end portion, the outer end of said threaded member formed with a diagonal slot, a padlock key having a bifurcated outer end adapted to fit in said diagonal slot, a cavity formed in said casing extending between said end surfaces and having a wider portion inwardly of said other end surface, and a retainer key of springy material having a holder portion wider than said cavity and a stem portion, said stem portion having two parallel legs with the distance between their outside lateral edges slightly less than the width of said wider cavity portion, the shorter of said legs substantially equal in length to the length of said wider cavity portion, and longer of said legs having a lug extending outwardly of its outside lateral edge at its outer end and longer in length than the distance between said end surfaces by the amount equal to the thickness of said lug, and mating means for holding said retainer key and padlock key in an interlocking relation when said keys are placed in an abutting side-by-side relation and inserted into said cavity, whereby said lug springs into locking engagement with said one end surface of said casing when said keys are fully inserted into said cavity.

6. A padlock device comprising a block shaped casing having a circular passageway extending between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, a counterbore formed in alignment of said passageway inwardly of the other of said end surfaces, said shackle having threads provided on its outer end, a screw member disposed within said counterbore and in threaded engagement with said threaded outer end portion, the outer end of said threaded member formed with a diagonal slot, a generally elongated rectangular-shaped cavity formed in said casing inwardly of said other end surface, and a padlock key having a bifurcated outer end adapted to fit into said diagonal slot, a holder portion at its inner end of wider dimensions than said rectangular cavity and a stem portion extending between said holder portion and said bifurcated outer end, the width of said stem portion gradually increasing away from said bifurcated end, and where the width dimension of said stem portion adjacent said bifurcated end is less than the width at the inner end of said cavity and the width of said stem portion at some intermediate location between said bifurcated end and said holder portion is greater than the width of said cavity to provide an interference fit there- 

1. A padlock device comprising a casing having a passageway formed between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and having a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, lock means cooperating with said long shank portion for holding said short shank portion in said recess, padlock key for cooperating with said lock means to permit said short shank portion to be removed from said recess, and a cavity formed in said casing for storing said key, said cavity formed with a lengthwise portion having a smaller cross sectional size than a lengthwise portion of said key to provide an interference fit therewith.
 2. A padlock device as defined in claim 1, wherein said padlock key comprises a holder portion larger in cross sectional size than the cross section of said cavity and an integral stem portion having its outer end smaller in cross sectional size than said cavity and intermediate section having opposite lateral sides wider than the distance between a portion of two opposing sidewalls of said cavity to provide said interference fit.
 3. A padlock device comprising a casing having a passageway formed between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and having a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, lock means cooperating with said long shank portion for holding said short shank portion in said recess, padlock key for cooperating with said lock means to permit said short shank portion to be removed from said recess, a cavity extending through said casing between said end surfaces and retainer means for releasably holding said key in said cavity, said retainer means including a retainer key having a holder portion of greater cross section than said cavity and a stem portion of smaller cross section than said cavity, said stem portion formed of springy material and having a leg portion slightly longer than said cavity with a laterally extending lug at its outer end for latching engagement with said one end of said casing, where said lug is biased inwardly of said cavity when said stem portion is inserted into said cavity at said other end surface and said lug snaps outwardly into engagement with said other end surface when said retainer key is fully inserted, and mating means for holding said retainer key and padlock key in an interlocking relation when said keys are placed in an abutting side-by-side relation and inserted into said cavity.
 4. A padlock device as defined in claim 3, wherein said mating means comprises aligned openings in the outer end of said padlock key and said holder portion of said retainer key, one of said openings coined outwardly with respect to their lateral abutting surfaces and the other opening coined inwardly and of slightly larger size than the projecting coined edge for seating said coined projecting edge.
 5. A padlock device comprising a block shaped casing having a circular passageway extending between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, a counterbore formed in alignment of said passageway inwardly of the other of said end surfaces, said shackle having threads provided on its outer end, a screw member disposed within said counterbore and in threaded engagement with said threaded outer end portion, the outer end of said threaded member formed with a diagonal slot, a padlock key having a bifurcated outer end adapted to fit in said diagonal slot, a cavity formed in said casing extending between said end surfaces and having a wider portion inwardly of said other end surface, and a retainer key of springy material hAving a holder portion wider than said cavity and a stem portion, said stem portion having two parallel legs with the distance between their outside lateral edges slightly less than the width of said wider cavity portion, the shorter of said legs substantially equal in length to the length of said wider cavity portion, and longer of said legs having a lug extending outwardly of its outside lateral edge at its outer end and longer in length than the distance between said end surfaces by the amount equal to the thickness of said lug, and mating means for holding said retainer key and padlock key in an interlocking relation when said keys are placed in an abutting side-by-side relation and inserted into said cavity, whereby said lug springs into locking engagement with said one end surface of said casing when said keys are fully inserted into said cavity.
 6. A padlock device comprising a block shaped casing having a circular passageway extending between two end surfaces, a shackle having a long shank portion slidably received in said passageway and a short shank portion adapted to seat in a recess formed in one of said end surfaces, a counterbore formed in alignment of said passageway inwardly of the other of said end surfaces, said shackle having threads provided on its outer end, a screw member disposed within said counterbore and in threaded engagement with said threaded outer end portion, the outer end of said threaded member formed with a diagonal slot, a generally elongated rectangular-shaped cavity formed in said casing inwardly of said other end surface, and a padlock key having a bifurcated outer end adapted to fit into said diagonal slot, a holder portion at its inner end of wider dimensions than said rectangular cavity and a stem portion extending between said holder portion and said bifurcated outer end, the width of said stem portion gradually increasing away from said bifurcated end, and where the width dimension of said stem portion adjacent said bifurcated end is less than the width at the inner end of said cavity and the width of said stem portion at some intermediate location between said bifurcated end and said holder portion is greater than the width of said cavity to provide an interference fit therebetween. 